Family thanks Hoffman for care of husband, father

Mike Hoffman comforts Polly Peak as her daughter Dawn Wilson reads her speech about how Hoffman helped their family during the handling of the care of Peak’s late husband and Dawn’s father Saturday at Pearson Park. The two women honored Hoffman with a brick at the 9/11 Emergency Services Memorial in the Walk of Honor.

Janet S. Carter / The Free Press

By Wes Wolfe / Staff Writer

Published: Sunday, December 29, 2013 at 03:51 PM.

By design, Mike Hoffman didn’t see it coming.

The Lenoir County EMT and Pink Hill Police Department officer received an emotional tribute and a brick in his honor Saturday at the 9/11 Emergency Services Memorial in the Walk of Honor at Pearson Park.

He was at the ceremony under the belief the event was a general tribute to local first responders, which occurred just before.

It all went back to a day in June 2012 when Bill Peak, severely weak and battling cancer, began to bleed out of a port catheter in his chest. Hoffman was one of the paramedics who responded to the scene.

“I know just enough about the field and protocol to make me dangerous, but it was Mike’s actions that day that earned my appreciation,” said Peak’s daughter, Dawn Wilson. “My mom was a frenzied mess, and I had been called to get home and get home fast.”

Wilson continued, “Already, he was in a losing battle with two women who knew it all, throwing a hundred questions and suggestions and ‘that’s not rights’ at him. Still, he took it all in stride. Never once did he lose his temper, and at no time was his focus not on my dad.”

She said her father couldn’t lie on the stretcher to get him to the ambulance, so Hoffman helped him there.

The Lenoir County EMT and Pink Hill Police Department officer received an emotional tribute and a brick in his honor Saturday at the 9/11 Emergency Services Memorial in the Walk of Honor at Pearson Park.

He was at the ceremony under the belief the event was a general tribute to local first responders, which occurred just before.

It all went back to a day in June 2012 when Bill Peak, severely weak and battling cancer, began to bleed out of a port catheter in his chest. Hoffman was one of the paramedics who responded to the scene.

“I know just enough about the field and protocol to make me dangerous, but it was Mike’s actions that day that earned my appreciation,” said Peak’s daughter, Dawn Wilson. “My mom was a frenzied mess, and I had been called to get home and get home fast.”

Wilson continued, “Already, he was in a losing battle with two women who knew it all, throwing a hundred questions and suggestions and ‘that’s not rights’ at him. Still, he took it all in stride. Never once did he lose his temper, and at no time was his focus not on my dad.”

She said her father couldn’t lie on the stretcher to get him to the ambulance, so Hoffman helped him there.

“Taking a rest on the stoop of my parents’ house, my dad couldn’t make another step,” Wilson said. “Mike cradled him in his arms and got him to the back of that bus. Everything done en route was done by Mike. That was the last time EMS would be called for my dad. That was in June.

“After a short stint in the hospital that night, daddy did return home briefly, only to return and die at LMH on July 4, 2012.”

She later added, “What you did for her husband,” Wilson said, indicating her mother, Polly, “and my daddy will never be forgotten.”

Kinston Mayor B.J. Murphy read a proclamation to get things started, recounting Hoffman’s stops in his career to this point and announcing it was officially his day.

“Whereas, Michael Hoffman will have an honorary brick laid in the Neuseway Veterans Park to honor his commitment and dedication in emergency service, now therefore I, B.J. Murphy, by virtue of the authority invested in me as mayor of the City of Kinston respectfully hereby proclaim Dec. 28, 2013 as Michael Hoffman Appreciation Day,” Murphy said.

Hoffman said he wasn’t deserving of the recognition, but joked with the assembled crowd as he accepted the proclamation that they needed to be in church today.

“All of you, every one of you, that lied and coaxed and set everything up, it’s this close to Sunday – all of you need to go,” Hoffman said.

He said one of the things he enjoys about what he does is being able to make a positive impact in people’s lives.

“This is kind of awesome that you get paid to do what you love to do, which I know every one of us here does,” Hoffman said. “Lenoir County has, by far, the best providers anywhere – anywhere. And, I’m very blessed. I’ve got my family, which I love very much – it looks like I’ve got another family as of now, or as of before.”

Polly Peak, who led the organizational effort for the event, thanked everyone who helped out and for what the first responders do on a daily basis.

“I do thank each and every one of you, from the bottom of my heart, for what you do,” Polly Peak said. “But, this man right here – Mike, I pray that you never change with what you do, whatever it is. You are one in 10 million. And know that you are deeply loved, and we deeply care about you.”

Wes Wolfe can be reached at 252-559-1075 and Wes.Wolfe@Kinston.com. Follow him on Twitter @WolfeReports.